Arab-led parties win 19 Knesset seats after record turnout in Israel
Palestinian citizens of Israel cast ballots in large numbers last month, leaving both major coalitions without a governing majority and positioning Arab parties as kingmakers.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
Arab-led political parties in Israel secured 19 seats in the Knesset following last month's legislative elections. This result prevented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition and Gadi Eisenkot’s center-right opposition from reaching the 61 seats required to form a government. The parties now hold the decisive balance of power in the negotiations that will determine the country's next administration.
Turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel reached record levels. According to the Central Elections Committee, these parties saw a 64% increase in votes compared to the previous election. This surge gave them a critical role in a political moment defined by the ongoing war in Gaza and tensions in the West Bank.
Jamal Zahalka, chairman of the High Follow-Up Committee, described the outcome as a historical achievement. He stated that the community blocked Netanyahu's government from continuing and found its strength in the ballot box. The committee represents the main interests of Palestinian citizens within the state.
In the Palestinian-majority town of Kufr Qasim, residents gathered two days after the election for the annual commemoration of the 1956 massacre by Israeli border police. Intisar Sarsur, a 65-year-old resident, noted that everyone she knew participated in the vote. She said the community is seeking basic human rights after years of perceived marginalization. She shared platters of mutabbaq, a sweet layered pastry, with relatives in a park that had served as a site for mourning and celebration for decades.
Netanyahu and his allies reacted strongly to the high Arab turnout. Netanyahu posted a video on election day calling the situation an emergency. Itamar Ben Gvir, the national security minister, urged voters to ensure the country remains Jewish and Zionist. The Likud party claimed the election was stolen through bribery and forgery, though police and election officials found no basis for widespread fraud. The head of the elections committee asked the Shin Bet security service to investigate suspected foreign funding efforts to boost Arab turnout.
Eisenkot, the former military chief of staff, is not a natural partner for Arab parties. His son was killed fighting in Gaza, and he previously served in Netanyahu's war cabinet. He is known for formulating the Dahiyeh doctrine in 2008, which advocated for disproportionate force against areas from which militants fire. Arab parties are divided on their next move. The Joint List alliance, which won 11 of the 19 seats, said it would not formally join Eisenkot’s government but could support it from the outside. Ra'am, a socially conservative Islamist party, campaigned on joining a coalition.
President Isaac Herzog is consulting with parties to decide who receives a mandate to form a government. He is expected to make that announcement next week. The designated candidate will have 28 days to form a coalition, with a possible two-week extension. If that fails, another candidate gets 28 days without an extension. If no coalition is formed, Israel will hold repeat elections next year.
Mansour Shaaban, 33, voted for the first time in this election. He said he would vote again immediately to stop what he called the racism and oppression of Palestinians by the extreme right. He noted that while he lives alongside Israelis, current leaders are making co-existence difficult. He stated that even if immediate change does not happen, right-wing politicians now know that Palestinian citizens have found their voice.
